Jeddah Mayoralty has urged residents to call 940 to report cases of food poisoning and expired or unhygienic food products being sold in the market. The mayoralty is also taking a number of measures ahead of Ramadan, a season when cases of food poisoning rise manifold. “During Ramadan, the mayoralty monitors eateries and food outlets, specially those selling dairy products, nuts and dry fruits,” said Basheer Abu Najem, Director of Licenses and Commercial Supervision at Jeddah Mayoralty. Mayoralty teams make daily rounds to markets and food shops in the city to ensure the implementation of regulations, he told the Saudi Gazette. The common violations included improper storage for meat, vegetables and fresh food, and the preparation of food in unhygienic conditions. According to Jeddah Mayoralty regulations, perishable items must be stored under proper temperature, transported in refrigerated trucks, and must show expiry dates. Hussain Al-Amoudi, a member of food and beverages production at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), told the Saudi Gazette that each restaurant or food company must follow the standard set by the Saudi Authority for Standards and Quality (SASQ). “I advise customers to buy food which have the official SASQ stamp,” he said. More than 5,000 cases of food poisoning are reported each year in the Kingdom, according to the Saudi Food and Drugs Authority (SFDA) statistics. Makkah region reports the most number of food poisoning cases, according to a study by Dr. Ghasan Al-Tabari, a professor at Veterinary Medicine College at King Saud University. In 2006, the Cabinet ordered the formation of a committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Health and SFDA to investigate food poisoning cases. __
